Easy Cheese Soufflé/Flan

This is not really a soufflé or a flan, but a mixture of the two; it could be called a “soufflan.” For a soufflé, the eggs are separated and the whites are beaten to give volume to the soufflé. Here the eggs are mixed with cream cheese and cottage cheese and cooked in a gratin dish. The mixture puffs up as it cooks, but not as much as a soufflé would. This is easier to make than a soufflé, though it takes a few minutes longer to cook.

Shorey loves the taste, texture, and look of this dish, and I wanted to show her how to make it for her family. Serve it puffy and hot right from the oven, or allow it to deflate and serve lukewarm with a vinaigrette-dressed lettuce salad.

Serves 4

• One 16-ounce container cottage cheese
• One 8-ounce container whipped cream cheese
• 4 large eggs, preferably organic
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place the cottage cheese, cream cheese, eggs, salt, and pepper in a food processor and process for 10 to 15 seconds. Add the chives and process again.

Rub a 4- to 5-cup gratin dish with the olive oil and fill with the egg mixture. Place the gratin dish on a baking sheet and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the soufflé/flan is just set. Serve immediately, or allow to deflate and serve lukewarm.

“When we cook together, my dad and I usually make breakfast.”

—Shorey